LIBERTY — This Saturday, April 23, The Keowee Flyers, The Pickens County Pilot’s Association and Pickens County Meals on Wheels will host the seventh annual Wings and Wheels for Meals event at the Pickens County Airport from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Admission is a suggested donation of $10 per vehicle at the entrance to the airport. All proceeds from the event go to fund the critical services provided by Meals on Wheels.

“We welcome everyone to fly in or cruise in and enjoy the beautiful Pickens County Airport for a day of family fun,” Keowee Flyers flight school principal owner Ross Russo said. “The Pickens County Airport is a beautiful place to visit and a wonderful place to learn to fly.”

Event-goers will enjoy a variety of activities. Visitors will be able to get a bird’s eye view of beautiful Pickens County when they climb into the cockpit of a fixed-wing plane for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Attendees can also see one of the best classic and custom car shows in the Upstate, with more than 100 vehicles on display. A total of six trophies will be awarded. The People’s Choice award will go to the car that receives the most cash votes by the public. Best in Class is a judged event. Awards will be given to each of the classes: 1900-1948, 1949-1972, 1973-1994 and 1995-2016. The Best in Show will be presented to top overall winner.

Between admiring cars and airplane rides and enjoying a hamburger or hot dog plate grilled to perfection by members of Bates Masonic Lodge, event-goers can watch the Pickens Rescue Squad demonstrate how it gets crash victims out of a wrecked car using the hydraulic Jaws of Life.

“We are thankful for our many sponsors and community organizations who support this event each year,” Pickens County Meals on Wheels executive director Meta Bowers said. “Especially our community partners like the Pickens County Pilot’s Association, Gold Sponsors Tri-State Pump and Control and Blackmoor Agency, Redneck Engineering, the Rescue Squad and Scuba Dive Team, Liberty Police Department, Explorers from Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and the Raptor RC Club for donating their time and equipment and time to support Meals on Wheels.”

This year’s fundraising goal is to raise $13,500 to support one of the 22 Meals on Wheels routes for an entire year. Currently, Meals on Wheels serves more than 310 individuals in communities across Pickens County each weekday, providing homebound elderly and disabled individuals with a nutritious meal, a friendly visit and a safety check that helps them live independently in their own homes. Last year, the organization delivered a total of 61,777 meals, the most in its history.

Located in the McKissick Center for Senior Wellness, Pickens County Meals on Wheels is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that exists to combat the effects of hunger, loneliness and isolation on those living in Pickens County and provide a lifeline through the use of caring volunteers. Founded in 1980, the overarching mission has not changed, yet the reach and impact has continued to expand in Pickens County.

Both home-delivered meals and the Young at Heart dining and activity programs are about more than the meal. These services are crucial to helping people maintain their nutritional health, feel connected in the community and continue living safely in their own homes. For many seniors, this is the only social contact they may have in a day. These services are a vital part of fighting isolation and helping older adults remain active and healthy. Community-based programs like Meals on Wheels provide are a cost-effective way of helping people “age in place.” The cost of home-delivered meals for one year is the equivalent of one week in a skilled nursing home. To find out more about Meals on Wheels and the importance of the work it does in Pickens County, visit pcmow.org, call (864) 855-3770 or email meta@pcmow.org.